In a wireless access network, numerous base stations are geographically distributed in a cellular arrangement and adapted to communicate with various mobile terminals. The coverage area, or cells, of the adjacent base stations generally overlaps. As a mobile terminal moves within a given cell supported by a base station, or from one cell to another, multiple base stations can support communications with the mobile terminal.
When moving from one cell to another, the wireless access network and the mobile terminal will cooperate to switch communications from one base station to another to support continued service and uninterrupted traffic flow. Such switching is often referred to as a “handoff.” When the base stations are switched during a communication session, integrity of the traffic flow must be maintained.
Switching between base stations generally involves soft or hard handoffs. Soft handoffs involve multiple supporting base stations sending redundant data during a transition from one base station to another. Hard handoffs involve a distinct transition from one base station to another. In another scenario, the service may quickly switch back and forth between multiple base stations, based on channel conditions. Such switching is referred to as either fast base station switching (FBSS) or fast cell switching (FCS).
Depending on the access network and the mobile terminal, multiple types of handoffs may be supported. Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient and effective way to select the most appropriate type of handoff to implement in a dynamic fashion. Further, there is a need to improve the efficiency of the various types of handoffs by providing improved techniques for implementing the handoffs.